Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 763: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons in receipt of mortgage interest supplement with a breakdown by duration at intervals of three months; if she will provide comparative date with the end of year position in 2007 and 2008. [1458/10]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 764: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average monthly or weekly payment of mortgage interest supplement. [1459/10]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 763 and 764 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) provides for a supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department.

The purpose of mortgage interest supplement is to provide short term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only.

The average mortgage interest supplement payment is €78.78 per week. There follows a tabular statement on mortgage interest supplement recipients by duration for end 2007, end 2008 and end 2009. TABULAR STATEMENT Number of Recipients of Mortgage Interest Supplement by Claim Duration (1), End 2007, End 2008 and End 2009

Months200720082009
0 to 35271,6071,234
3 to 66301,8692,315
6 to 94531,0452,626
9 to 123437882,997
12 to 248741,2504,124
24 to 36405593830
36 to 48231290417
48 to 60192176177
60 to 72139139112
72 plus317334269
Total4,1118,09115,101

(1) Claims with duration of precisely 3 months are recorded under the 3-6 months heading, claims with duration of precisely 6 months are recorded under the 6-9 months heading and so on.

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 766: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will provide details of the nationalities of those who were refused social welfare payments due to a failure to meet the habitual residence requirement in 2008 and 2009 detailing the number and specific welfare allowance in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1496/10]

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 789: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of Irish citizens refused benefit payments in 2009 due to their failure to meet the habitual residency requirement. [1943/10]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions 766 and 789 together.

The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. The requirement does not apply to benefit schemes.

All applicants - regardless of nationality - for the following assistance payments are required to be habitually resident in the State:

· Jobseeker's Allowance

· State Pension (Non-Contributory for persons aged over 66)

· Blind Pension

· Widow's, Widower's and Orphan's Non-Contributory Pensions

· One-Parent Family Payment

· Carer's Allowance

· Disability Allowance

· Supplementary Welfare Allowance (including Rent Supplement)

· Domiciliary Care Allowance

· Child Benefit

The number of people who were disallowed payments in 2008 and 2009, based on the failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition was 6,297 and 10,582 respectively.

The following tables set out the yearly breakdown by scheme and nationality.

2008IrishUKEU 13New Member StatesOtherTotal
Jobseeker's Allowance8791504982,8741344,535
State Pension (Non-Con)000000
Blind Pension000000
Widow/er's & Orphan's Non-Con Pensions000000
One-Parent Family Payment3771616075295
Carer's Allowance701463387
Disability Allowance4031315864278
Domiciliary Care AllowanceScheme administered by HSE0
Child Benefit225325484951,102
Total9851655603,7868016,297
2009IrishUKEU 13New Member StatesOtherTotal
Jobseeker's Allowance5304016695,2116737,484
State Pension (Non-Con)9105116
Blind Pension000000
Widow/er's & Orphan's Non-Con Pensions000617
One-Parent Family Payment23271323088381
Carer's Allowance333477543192
Disability Allowance98742328095570
Domiciliary Care Allowance0107614
Child Benefit451541141,1304751,918
Total7386928266,9441,38210.582

Statistics on the number of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) claims that do not satisfy the habitual residence condition are not maintained by the various HSE areas. However, it is estimated that approximately 1.5% of all SWA claims are disallowed for HRC reasons. It is open to any customer who is not satisfied with the decision on their claim to appeal that decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

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